3. Dealer Selection

I could see the frustration in the eyes of Automobiles Gillet sales manager Vincent Van Humbeeck, as we had already answered this question several times for curious onlookers while making our way through coastal Santa Monica, California. Van Humbeeck would explain politely that the Vertigo is a production car from Belgium. This was followed inevitably with, “Is it fast?” A gentle smile would creep across Van Humbeeck’s face: “It’s the fastest car in the world.”

Heralding from a country known for its waffles, Automobiles Gillet made its mark in the international arena when it claimed the title of the world’s fastest-accelerating production car, with a blistering 3.14-second 0-60-mph blast in its 360-horsepower Vertigo. The Ford RS200 Evolution, however, now holds the honor, with a Guinness-certified 0-60-mph sprint of 3.07 seconds.

The Gillet Vertigo has thrown its gauntlet into the sports-car arena, challenging the likes of the Ferrari F50, Porsche 911 Turbo, Dodge Viper, and Lotus Super Seven, and its distinct styling ensures a wake of turned heads behind it wherever it travels. The hammerhead-shark nose, outboard front tires and wheels, side-hinged hood, and Viper-wide rear end give the Vertigo a unique appearance intended to appeal to a select contingent of motoring enthusiasts.

The targeted customer is looking for a special ultraperformance car that can be built to order. “Not like a run-of-the-mill Ferrari or Porsche,” says Van Humbeeck.

Thus far, no two Vertigos have been painted the same color, nor have they been equipped similarly. Among the list of available options are interior color, a carbon-fiber dashboard, a full carbon-fiber body, racing brakes, a six-speed transmission, and a limited-slip differential. A choice of three variations of the 2.0-liter inline-four Ford Cosworth engine are available, including the standard 220-horsepower, 300-horsepower, and the tire-shredding 360-horsepower. Output gains for the mid- and high-output powerplants are made through engine tuning, computer-chip programming, and turbo boost-pressure increases.

The Vertigo is the brainchild of race driver Tony Gillet, whose long list of accomplishments includes a string of Belgian hill-climb championships, many won with his own hand-built cars. Drawing upon his car-building experience, Gillet has brought the Vertigo from conception to reality in just four years.

Our test-drive vehicle wasn’t the 360-horsepower model used to set the official run as certified by the “Guinness Book of World Records”; instead, we drove a base version equipped with the standard 2.0-liter/220-horsepower Cosworth engine. This is the same powerplant used in the Ford Cosworth RS; it can push the 2812-pound super Escort 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds (see our July ’95 test).

To achieve maximum performance from this bulletproof engine, the Vertigo was built on a monocoque chassis made of carbon fiber and Nomex honeycomb, and its slender body was shaped from fiberglass. Consequently, the Vertigo boasts an ultralight 1700-pound curb weight, allowing this version to zoom 0-60 mph in a reported 4.4 seconds.

Despite the myriad questions we answered for passers-by, the car’s most obvious eccentricity went unqueried: No one asked, “How do you get in?” Lacking traditional doors, the side windows swing upward in Lamborghini gullwing fashion to permit entry. Van Humbeeck demonstrated with practiced grace the art of ingress by essentially straddling the low side panel while setting one foot on the floor and placing a hand on top of the center console, then lowering himself into the seat.

Beneath the suede-covered dash, the instrument cluster is filled with white-faced VDO gauges emblazoned with the Gillet logo. A turn of the key awakens a smooth powerplant with a gentle exhaust rumble. The squared-off steering wheel allows just enough room to accommodate the driver’s legs, but rubs against them when it’s turned.

It took a couple of miles to adjust to the lack of power assist for the brakes and steering. The brake-pedal travel is seemingly a half-inch before the calipers bite into the discs with crushing force, and the manual steering effort provides an ample upper-arm workout at low speeds due to the resistance of the sticky 17-inch Uniroyal tires.

On the open road, the car’s performance capabilities come alive. The smooth power delivery from the small-displacement engine is amazing, especially when the tach needle climbs past four grand. The turbo whine sings as the engine relishes hearty doses of throttle, rewarding a lead-footed driver with thrilling acceleration. The muscular, Clydesdale force that propels the Vertigo contradicts expectations for a small turbocharged four-cylinder. Its extremely light weight helps it achieve slingshot acceleration that hurls the low-slung car through traffic, past countless befuddled faces, like an extraterrestrial spacecraft on a raiding mission. The slightest tap of the brake pedal pitches the nose down and launches any unbolted item like a projectile.

Short, slotted shifts demand barely a twitch of the wrist to plunge into the next gear. Taking turns at speed with the low-slung Vertigo is more of a test of driver nerve than vehicle handling, with the enormous (235/40ZR17 front, 265/40ZR17 rear) tire contact patches sticking like rubber cement. An ultralow center of gravity, a relatively wide track, and abundant rubber real estate provide precise, white-knuckled turning abilities. Excessive throttle use on curves is punished with side-sliding oversteer, which can be corrected merely by easing up. When driven hard, the Vertigo blurs the lines between man and machine, a distinction that is further shrouded by the fact that you don’t get into the car, but rather put it on like a skin-tight bodysuit, making the Vertigo the perfect steed for chasing the double-yellow lines down mountain roads.

At lower speeds, the special-purpose nature of the Vertigo becomes painfully apparent with stiff steering and minimal elbow space. But, as any pioneer will admit, sacrifices must be made to experience the extreme.

The Vertigo threatens an elite establishment of legendary marques, such as Ferrari and Porsche, with its record-setting performance. At approximately $120,000 in the U.S., the Vertigo will remain the choice of those wealthy eccentrics who pride themselves in their individuality, and who covet motoring pleasures shared by a small contingent. Strict bang-for-the-megabuck enthusiasts would probably find the Porsche 911 Turbo to be all the car they could ever need. But then again, those Turbos are going to appear more common with the introduction of the Carrera 4’s Turbo-look package.

For the discriminating few, a dealer network has been carefully established throughout Europe with at least one outlet per country, all sharing the common bond of a history of race involvement. Automobiles Gillet is currently working on meeting federal standards for exportation to the U.S., and hopes to have street-legal versions available in mid-1996. Stateside dealers haven’t been signed yet, as Gillet is waiting to gauge American demand. And, once and for all, there are no plans to sell it as a kit.